This is Where Katherine Comes In

I fell forwards hard, pushing both hands out to break my fall. I spat, blood and spit falling onto the concrete floor. I scowled as rough hands pulled at my ponytail yanking me hard off the floor.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to hit girls?” I said with forced bravado, wondering how I always seemed to get myself in these situations.

The leader of the group sniggered at my comment. He grabbed my chin, forcefully digging into my skin as he did. “Such bravery for one who bruises so easily.” He said pulling away from me and slapping me across the face.

Two of his goons grabbed me by the shoulders and pushed me down so that I was on my knees on the cold concrete floor. I glared at the leader a stout dark haired man who had a heavy Romanian accent. His goons as far as I could tell couldn’t even speak English, they mostly spoke with grunts and aggravated gestures.

“You are making a mistake.” I spat out. I was starting to get angry, the lights flickering above me. Thankfully none of the goons noticed. I was trying to control my anger. But I was so close, to the answers I needed. I had followed and retraced all the steps that my mother had taken to get here. I just needed to control my anger.

“No. Your mistake was asking about things that don’t concern you.” The man said in a near growl.

“Who sent you? I’m losing my patience and that is not something you want me to do.” He said.

I glared at him hatefully, not saying a word. I wanted him to lose his patience. Maybe if he did, he would let something slip and I desperately needed him to tell me something he shouldn’t.

“HOW DID YOU KNOW TO COME HERE FOR THE AMULET?!” He screeched, grabbing at the collar of my shirt pulling me to stand in front of him. “YOU WILL TELL ME. Or I will make sure you live to regret it.” He said.

“Do you even know who I am?” He asked anger making his face turn red and veins stand out on his forehead. “I have killed more powerful people than you. You are a little girl who hasn’t even the comprehension of what she has walked into.” He said pushing me away from him.

I could feel the two goons watching me at my back. And I looked at the face of the man who had caught me at the pawn shop in Alexandria. I looked upwards at the roof of the abandoned warehouse and I saw a full moon. But not just any moon. It was a Hunter’s Moon that glowed yellow in the light. I closed my eyes and my hands tightened into fists.

“I know about the Amulet, because it belongs to me. My mother’s last act to save me was to sell the amulet, and she died afterwards. I am here to reclaim my birthright.” I said looking at the man who sniggered at my words.

“The Amulet is far from here. You are too late.” The man said.

I felt something snap inside me at his words. I had spent the last forty-eight hours trying to get to where the amulet had been last seen only to be snatched up by these thugs and beat within an inch of my life.

“You sold the Amulet.” I said my voice dark as the lights of the warehouse flickered once more. The beams above us that held the warehouse shook slightly, and dark clouds started to form above us as I finally let the last of my frustration out.

“I sold the amulet to someone you will never get to see.” He said pulling out a knife from his pocket.

I felt the goons move behind me, and I kicked out at one of them surprising them as I grabbed the man and threw him on top of the leader with the knife. The other goon faced me and I shoved both of my hands in front of me in a pushing gesture and the man fell backwards as a gust of wind flew out from my hands.

I screamed and a torrential downpour fell from the warehouse roof. Unnecessarily seeing as all the men were already down, but I was rather upset. The leader laughed once more. I turned to look at him darkly, he sat up slightly. “The Amulet is guarded by Shadow Assassins and around the neck of the most feared Warlock in all of Russia. You will never get it.” I scowled and kicked the man in the face. I was about to walk out of the ware house when quite suddenly the doors barged open and two sword wielding dragons stepped into the room Davenna in the middle of them they glanced around then looked at me aghast.

“Always late for the danger.” I said raising my hands.

“Katherine, WHAT THE HELL?” Julio said his eyes wide.

Hulio shook his head glancing around at the bodies on the floor. “I’m not even surprised anymore.” Hulio said with a sigh.

Davenna looked at me with sadness in her eyes. “I had to, Davenna. I don’t care what your father said about bringing me back but I will fight all three of you if I have to, I’m not going back until I got what I’ve been searching for.” I said my hand going into a fist.

“WHOA. Whoa. I am not here to bring you back, I don’t even care why you left.” Davenna said raising her hands in a placating manner. I released my fist surprised.

“Oh.” I said walking towards them and out of the warehouse.

“That being said, why did you leave?” Davenna asked.

I smiled slightly. Some people never change. I looked up to the sky that was now starting to turn purple and pink as the sun ducked down to become night once more. “The reason I left is because I received a letter from my long dead mother. She had written to me before she died and enchanted it so it would find me on my sixteenth birthday.” I said.

I glanced at Davenna who didn’t look surprised at the news. “I’m guessing that news already got around in the school?” I asked. I wasn’t overly surprised about that. We weren’t exactly good at keeping secrets from each other in the school.

“The news about your letter yes. Jaz said as much.” Davenna said.

I frowned at her. “You said you didn’t come here to bring me back.” I said looking at her, and glancing at Julio and Hulio who stood at a distance from where we were. “What’s going on Davenna? Why are you here?” I asked.

“My father doesn’t know I’m here. And I’d like to keep it that way.” Davenna said taking a breath.

“You left the night before the Solstice ball. And at the ball we were attacked.” Davenna said.

My eyes widened at her words. “Attacked? By what?” I asked.

“A Fae King from the Land of Fairy made a portal in the middle of the dance floor and he took Zira. Zira has been kidnapped.” Davenna said.

“Kidnapped?” I asked surprised at the thought of anyone taking strong opinionated Zira.

“I need your help. I have to go after her. She would do the same for me.” Davenna said.

“I know she would and just like you she would’ve convinced me to help her as well.” I said narrowing my eyes. “I can’t just go with you to the Fairy Lands.” I said pulling out a set of keys from my pocket and playing with the hook that held it together in my fingertips.

“I am not asking you to come with me. I know that if you came all the way to Romainia without so much as anyone to help you, that whatever you are doing is important to you and I will not get in your way. But you do owe me.” Davenna said narrowing her eyes at me. I closed my eyes sighing.

“You just had to bring that up didn’t you.” I said.

“How did you even know how to find me?” I asked genuinely curious.

“When we were first learning the portal spell you had trouble with re-entry. I noticed that sometimes you create a whirlpool of air along with the portal. Those whirlpools you can track with weather forecasts.” Davenna said.

“And you didn’t tell anyone about this?” I said surprised that she would keep this a secret.

“Of course I didn’t tell anyone. You, Zira and I may have had our differences over the years but we always keep our secrets. Don’t we?” Davenna said.

I sighed. “In the letter my mother sent me she talked about this amulet, that she had, that had been in her family for generations. When she was on the run with me, she ended up having to sell it so she could pay for food and necessities. I have been tracking the whereabouts of this amulet since leaving the Academy. Its’ my birthright and the only token I have left of my mother. And I want it back.” I said, looking at Davenna and knowing that she more than anyone I knew would understand why this was so important to me.

“You are possibly my only hope to open a portal to the Fairy Lands. If I go to any of my aunts they will immediately go to my father, or my dad. And they won’t let me come with them to save Zira. She doesn’t have time for a debate.”

“You are leaving one thing out. If I don’t come with you, how are you going to open another portal to get home?” I pointed out. “Don’t worry. By the time we would want to come back, Zira will be with us.” Davenna said. “Will she? What if there is nothing left of Zira to find?” I said.

“I don’t think you’ve really thought of all you might come across in the lands of Fairy. That place is one of the most dangerous places you can go to. Even more dangerous than the demon realms. Not every Fae is as kind as Queen Nixie and Raena.” I said, worried for the closest thing I had to a sister. “Whatever I have to do to get Zira back, I will do. So are you going to help me or not?” Davenna demanded.

“Of course I am.” I said with a scowl, pulling off one of my bracelets off my wrist. The bracelet a single silver chain with a wolf head at the end. “That bracelet.”

“Was a present from you dad. Hunter Moon. Give me your hands.” I said waiting until she put her hands out and then I laid the bracelet at the centre of both her palms.

We joined hands and I closed my eyes focusing on my magic. “I’m lending you some of my power. It’s being focused on the bracelet. Which you will be borrowing.” I said opening an eye to glare at Davenna. “I want my bracelet back. But for now it will serve as a conductor for wherever you are. No matter where that is, you will be able to lean on my magic to make yours stronger. Wherever you are.” I said squeezing her hands before I started to chant.

“Wherever I am?” Davenna asked softly. “No matter what you find in the Fairy Lands you will have a way to return.” I said letting go of her hand and tying the bracelet to her wrist. “You should go.” I said nodding to the two dragons. “Wait,” Davenna said grabbing my wrist. “There’s one more thing I need you to do. It’s about Irina...”